A Fresh Start

Chapter 4-August 2012

Tyler

"You're going to be alright. You're going to be alright. You can do this. You can do this," I say to myself in the mirror.

It's Monday morning, my first day of High School. I'm a freshman at Mission Hills High School. Home of the Golden Eagles.

My face is mostly clear of bruises. Thankfully my glasses distract from what's left. The guys on my soccer team were mostly ok with me being gay. I didn't deny it when my fellow Freshman Forward asked if it was true. He just nodded his head and walked off to talk to the rest of the team.

The rest of the team passed to me during the scrimmage that day. I scored 3 times, which was a first for me in a single game, but coach Miller was happy for me, even if the rest of the team was stand-offish around me.

The only time it seemed to be heading south was when we walked back to the locker room at the same time as the football team, the tennis team, and the first runners from cross country. Two of the older football players pointed at me and yelled faggot. When I didn't answer, they started making fun of the rest of the team. Some of the other players on my team shot me nasty looks, but I still had the bruises to show I could take what they threw at me. I changed quickly and avoided everyone as I rushed out. Catching the eye of that older football player, usually, the teams don't all finish up at the same time. This shouldn't be a problem every day.

Mandy took us all to Target to get school supplies, she and I took time to try on the uniform. At 5'10, I'm probably done growing, but I'm fit and have some good muscle thanks to a summer of playing soccer and working out. With a couple of days to go before school started, we had slim pickings, but we got it all. Conner wouldn't stop explaining each of the Star Wars characters on his new folders and notebooks. he was shocked and possibly offended when I said I had never watched the movies before. I honestly think that was the first time in weeks that I smiled.

The rest of the weekend went by fast. Faster than I would have liked. I don't know any of the kids in the area, so I'll be walking for school by myself today.

"Tyler. You ready to go?" Asks Dan.

I turn to him and open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

"You ok, champ?" He asks as he leans against the door frame.

"I don't think I can do this. What if they're all assholes to me?" I say quickly.

Surprisingly he laughs, "it's high school. Everyone's an asshole at some point. Your team was cool with everything, right?"

"Mostly. I deleted all the texts and comments from the homophobes," I say and shake my phone.

"Then focus on them. Those are the ones to be friends with you," he says with a smile. "I have to get to work, but you have my number. Text me if you get worried or freaked out. It's the first day, buddy. Come up and take pictures."

I tilt my head in a confused puppy dog face, but I follow him up the steps.

Eric and Conner are on the stairs hugging, and Mandy has her phone up, taking pictures.

"Tyler! You made it. Sit in front of Conner," she exclaims.

"You don't need to take pictures of me," I say and head to the door, but she stops me shaking her head, and pushes me towards the stairs.

"I'm out. All of you be good," says Dan, and he kisses Eric and Conner on the head and, after a slight hesitation, kisses me on the head as well. I roll my eyes at him, but he is smiling, and I know I didn't hate it.

Mandy takes some pictures of the three of us. Eric is just next to me, trying to get through it, but Conner's a monkey hanging off us both. I can tell that he's growing on me slowly. We wrap up, and they head to the bus stop and I start to leave when Mandy stops me.

"Good luck today. Do you have your contacts in your soccer bag?" She asks, and I nod, holding up my bag.

"Good," she says and pulls me into a hug. She whispers a quick, "good luck," as we part.

I head out the door, put my headphones in, and start-up my music for the 10ish minute walk to school.

Somebody you use to know by Goyte starts up, and weirdly I'm calm. I don't understand why a break-up song is calming me down, but here we are.

I see another kid leaving her house wearing the same obnoxious blue polo as me; she waved at me by the time she was on the sidewalk. To be polite, I pull my headphones out and smile.

She smiles back and waits for me to walk up to her. "Hi, I'm Sarah. You just moved here, right? cause I first saw you a couple of days ago with your soccer bag."

I look down at my sports bag as we start walking to school, looking at it you couldn't tell what sport I play.

She answers my unspoken question, "I'm on the cross country team. I saw you at school a couple times."

"Ohhhhhh ok. that makes sense. Yeah, I just....moved.....here," I say, trailing off cause I don't want to tell her my life story. "What grade are you in?" I ask, quickly changing the subject.

"Well, I'm not even sure what your name is sooooooo maybe I can get that before I answer you," she's with a laugh and puts her hair behind her ear.

I smirk and nod, "my names Tyler, but I've never liked it that much. My mom use to call me TK cause my middle name's Kennedy. I live down the street with my.....foster family." I add the last part quickly and watch her reaction.

To her credit, she only looks slightly embarrassed. When she finally answers, I learn why. "You're the kid everyone's been talking about, huh? Someone put it in my cross country group chat."

"Fantastic. The gay kid who got beat up by his dad. That's all I'll be known for now," I say, and I start to walk faster so I can put some distance between us.

She reaches out and stops me, "hey. I'm sorry that happened. My cousin's gay, and my aunt hates it, but I don't care. You'll be known for something else soon enough. I'm sure of it."

I just look at her unconvinced, "come on, TK. Let's go; they have an assembly on the first day. It's always a lot of fun. I'm a sophomore, by the way, so we probably won't have classes together, but we can walk to school in the morning."

I smile and nod. I might have a friend. At least for the first ten minutes of the day, but a friend none the less.

I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and pull it out.

Dan-good luck today. Be brave, and you'll go far.

Mom- I love you, sweetie—happy first day of school.

Officer Mason- Let me know how school goes.

It's nice to have people care about me.

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